Q: If I use aerosol products, am...

Q: If I use aerosol products, am I damaging the ozone layer?

A: No, aerosols no longer contain the ozone-depleting chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons. In 1978, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration banned the use of the chemicals. The only exceptions are certain medical products, such as asthma inhalers, which account for less than 1% of all aerosols. But aerosol products do emit fumes that contribute to smog.

The ozone layer protects life on Earth from the debilitating effects of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation.